For Friday

Mario Pinto will join Griffith U as DVC R in February. He comes from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and Simon Fraser University.

Jiawen Li (Uni Adelaide) won the engineering category at the South Australian Women in Innovation awards last night. Katharina Richter (Uni Adelaide) won for science and Janet Sluggett (Monash U) for social impact. Jing Jing Wang (Flinders U) is the emerging innovator. Other winners include, Hazel Vandeleur (Uni SA) in the rural, regional and remote category and Dorothea Dumuid (Uni SA) in maths and data.

Of the week

At Charles Sturt U Tom Burton moves up to PVC for community and global engagement. He is now director, global engagement and partnerships there.

Deborah Ralston (professorial fellow, Monash U) is appointed to the federal government’s review of the retirement income system

Grace Sana is the new GM of La Trobe U’s science, health and engineering college starting December 2. She moves from the University of Melbourne, where she manages the medical school.

Deakin U announces three new Alfred Deakin professors, its highest academic honour; Brett Bryan (global change and environment), Alison Hutchinson (nursing), Craig Olsson (development psychology).

Mark Rose becomes Deakin U’s first PVC for indigenous strategy. He joins from RMIT

Company director David Armstrong will become chair of the George Institute for Global Health – he is now acting. Mr Armstrong has been a board member for five years.

Kingsley Dixon (Curtin U) has taken the professional award from the Australian Native Plants Society. Professor Dixon is director of the Australian Research Council Centre for Mine Site Restoration.

In January Kirsty Dwyer will leave the University of Canberra, where she is head of People and Diversity. She will start at Griffith U as Chief People Officer in February.

At Uni Newcastle, John Fischetti moves up to PVC for education and arts. He has acted in the post since late last year. Professor Fichte is widely recognised as a champion of Big Picture Education. The university announced the first degree using it, in public and community health, last month (CMM September 12).

UWA’s Kadam Siddique is awarded the Chinese Government’s Friendship Award, to “recognise foreign experts who have made outstanding contributions to China’s modernisation and reform.” Professor Siddique is honoured for agriculture research collaboration with Chinese institutions.

The Association for Tertiary Education Management announces its annual awards, including

Outstanding Achiever: Trish McCuskey, (Victoria University)

Research Management: VU Model Strategy Team, (Victoria University)

Community Engagement: VU Engagement Team, (Victoria University)

School and Faculty Management:  Professional Staff team, School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, (Flinders University)

Marketing, Communications and Public Relations: Marketing and External Relations Team, (Australian Catholic University)

People and Culture: HR Development and Engagement Team, (University of Southern Queensland)

Innovation: e-Assessments Programmes Team, (Monash University)

Student Engagement: The Tari Takuwan – Maori Liaison Liaison Services, Auckland University of Technology

Excellence in Leadership: Naomi Dempsey, (Victoria University)

Policy and Governance: Fion Choon Boey Lim, (Victoria University)